North Dakota Democrats Get Last Minute Candidates For Treasurer, PSC, Insurance Commissioner

North Dakota Democrats closed out their state convention last weekend with four statewide candidate slots left empty. Today, right at the deadline for filing candidates for the June primary ballot, they added three candidates for Treasurer, Public Service Commissioner, and Insurance Commissioner.

State Senator Tim Mathern of Fargo will be running for Treasurer, challenging Republican incumbent Kelly Schmidt who is seeking a fourth term in office. Schmidt won re-election in 2012 with over 65 percent of the vote.

Ruth Buffalo will be running for Insurance Commissioner. Incumbent Republican Adam Hamm is not running for re-election. Jon Godfread accepted has accepted the NDGOP’s endorsement for the race.

Marlo Hunte-Beaubrun will be running for the Public Service Commission. Republican incubment Julie Fedorchak is running for her first full term in office. She was on the ballot in 2014 after being appointed by Governor Jack Dalrymple to finish out Congressman Kevin Cramer’s six year term. She won with nearly 66 percent of the vote.

Democrats still apparently will not have a candidate for Auditor. Incumbent Republican Bob Peterson is not running for re-election. Republicans endorsed PSC accountant Josh Gallion for the race.

It’s hard to know how seriously to take candidates like this who file at the last minute. Democrats have had a lot of candidates doing that in recent years, and the success rate isn’t very good.

And by not very good I mean they don’t win elections. It kind of seems like they’re just finding warm bodies to fill candidate slots.

I have never heard of Buffalo or Hunte-Beaubrun before.

Here’s all of the candidates running for statewide office this cycle, per the Secretary of State’s office. You’ll note that Superintendent candidate Joe Chiang is on the June ballot, challenging incumbent Kirsten Baesler who defeated him for the NDGOP endorsement at the party’s state convention.

UPDATE: Some of you readers have noted that gubernatorial candidate Doug Burgum is not on the list. I’m honestly not sure why. According to a press release he sent out earlier today announcing some favorable polling they turned in their signatures today.

UPDATE: A source in the capitol tells me that Burgum’s signatures are in and he’s qualified for the ballot.